The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has officially released the names of the 37 suspected illegal miners who tragically died while detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State. The victims were part of a larger group of suspects arrested during major security raids on September 15 and 16. The NSCDC conducted the massive operations around the Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, the state capital.
Awaisu Giwa, an international peace ambassador for the IHRC, confirmed that the organization obtained the initial victim list directly from mortuary records at the Minna General Hospital. The hospital’s Chief Medical Director personally authorized the release of the names. Four additional victims were later identified when frantic relatives approached the commission’s office to report missing family members. The IHRC has confirmed the identities of all 37 victims.
Among the deceased identified on the list are Ibrahim Sani, Fahad Sa’adu, Abdulsalam Ismail, Usman Aliyu, and Abubakar Alhaji, alongside 32 others. The IHRC has not released any additional information about the victims' backgrounds or circumstances surrounding their deaths. The NSCDC initially blamed the mass deaths on a sudden “suspected disease outbreak” inside the holding facility.
However, harrowing accounts from survivors heavily contradict this official narrative. Survivors claim that up to 65 detainees were crammed into a single, poorly ventilated cell. An 11-year-old survivor, identified as Sanusi, alleged that shortly after they were locked inside, an NSCDC officer opened the door and sprayed an unknown canister into the crowded room. He reported that several detainees collapsed and died within hours as panic erupted.
Another survivor, Dauda Shehu, stated the men scrambled frantically for fresh air but could not breathe in the suffocating heat. They repeatedly banged on the cell doors to get the guards’ attention, to no avail. The survivors' accounts suggest a possible case of gross misconduct by NSCDC personnel. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
The tragedy sparked immediate outrage, leading to rapid government intervention. Authorities have now arrested and paraded 24 NSCDC personnel in connection with the horrific incident. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordered the immediate suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, pending a full, transparent investigation.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago described the incident as a tragedy and declared three days of statewide mourning. The governor set up a strict committee of inquiry and promised a thorough investigation to uncover the exact cause of the deaths. State police have also deployed forensic teams and cordoned off the NSCDC detention facility as the criminal probe deepens.
Key points
- 37 suspected illegal miners died in NSCDC custody in Niger State, Nigeria.
- IHRC releases names of victims, contradicting NSCDC's initial disease outbreak claim.
- Authorities arrest 24 NSCDC personnel, suspend commandant, and launch investigation.
